All ages. Offered throughout February & March. Naked mole rats are mighty, yet misjudged. Join us as we discover what makes these animals neither a mole, nor naked. Together we will discover just how nifty our naked mole rats really are. Tour Area: Water's Edge: Africa & Primate World. Registration is required.
<a href="https://www.cmzoo.org/events/">Upcoming Events</a> › Zoo Events
Family Camp (February & March) – Underfoot & Misunderstood
Creature Connections – Feathered Fun: Mar. 11 – Apr. 21
Ages 1-4 years with adult. This is a 6-week series that creates opportunities for you and your young explorers to learn more about wildlife and wild places! We will provide prompts and activity ideas each week of the session to guide your exploration, as well as supplemental optional opportunities for exclusive “pop-ups” at the Zoo weekly on Wednesdays & Saturdays, where they can meet the animal they’ve been learning about! Note: You will also need to get your advanced timed ticket into the Zoo.
Paint. Sip. Safari. – (Mar. 21, Apr. 12, 26, May 17, 24)
Ages 21+. Offered on Mar. 21, Apr. 12, 26, May 17, 24 . Join us for an adults only program where you not only get to create memories but a painting of one of our amazing animals as well. Each month offers a different animal theme to paint. Spend the evening at the Zoo strolling through animal exhibits, enjoying an adult beverage, meeting animals up-close and creating a masterpiece! Registration is required.
Stroller Safaris: March Mammal Madness (Mar. 25, 29)
Ages 12 months - 4 years. Offered March 25, 29. This month we are focusing on animals that are just like us; mammals! Participants will get a chance to meet some “furry” friends and learn about a special group of mammals called marsupials. Registration is required and open online now. (If dates are sold out, you can be added to our waitlist by completing this form.)
Outdoor School: Animal Signs & Tracking
Ages: Middle School & High School. Join us in this hands-on workshop as we learn what it takes for scientists to track animals in the wild! We’ll learn to read the signs animals leave behind in nature while also trying our hand at some of the technology that is used by scientists in the field. Registration is required and ends 48 hours prior to the start of the program.
Family Camp (April & May) – Trendy Tegus
All ages. Offered throughout April & May. Get ready for the runway as we investigate why animals, specifically lavish lizards, wear different colors and accessories. Together we will take a look at tegu scales, jaws, and jowls, and discuss how they help tegus in many ways. Tour Area: Australia Walkabout & Scutes Family Gallery. Registration is required.
Stroller Safari: Awesome Amphibians in April (Apr. 5, 15, 21, 26)
Ages 12 months - 4 years. Offered on April 5, 15, 21, 26. This month we are focusing on toads, frogs, newts and salamanders! Participants will get a chance to meet some of these animals and make their very own frog slime to take home and explore! Registration is required and is open online now.
Hands-On Homeschool – Wildlife in Color: Encoded Messages
Ages: High School. Join us in this first part of our “Wildlife in Color” mini-series as we look at the vital role color plays in our natural world. As humans, we view color as aesthetically pleasing but for many animals color is a tool necessary for survival. In this first session will focus on how different species utilize color as forms of communication. Whether its displays of warning or forms of attraction, the use of color can ultimately decide the survival of a species. Registration is required.
Outdoor School: Symbiosis: The Art of Living Together
Age: Middle School & High School. Earth is home to millions of animal species that all interact with one another in many different ways! Whether it’s working together as a team or competing against each other for the same resource, our wild planet showcases what it takes for wildlife to survive. Join us as we study zoo residents and delve into the many different types of symbiotic relationships from around the world. Registration is required and ends 48 hours prior to the start of the program.
A Special Holiday Stroller Safari: An Easter EGGstravaganza!
Ages 12 months - 4 years. Offered on April 8. This includes a visit with our resident rabbits and egg decorating! Participants will also learn how eggs are connected to lots of other animals around the Zoo too! Registration is required and is open online now.
Hands-On Homeschool: Compassionate Conservationists
Ages: Elementary (1st-5th) or Middle School (6th-8th). As we celebrate the Earth and all it has provided for us, join us as we discover ways to protect its wild animals and wild places. Registration is required.
Kinder Kingdom: Aquatic April
Ages 4-5 years old. Kinder Kingdom is a half-day, camp-like setting that allows your little wanderers to create a connection with nature and new friends. As the sun goes down and the moon comes up, these animals come out to play. Splash into Spring at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo as we dive into adaptations that allow animals to live on both land and in water. Registration is required.
Outdoor School: Spring Awakening
Ages: 3rd - 6th Grades. Spring is the time where our natural world awakens from its long, frosty slumber. Wildlife begin to become more active and migrate back to the natural spaces that were once blanketed with snow and ice. Join us as we learn how our wild world adapts with the changing season. Registration is required and closes 48 hours prior to the start of the program.
Hands-On Homeschool – Wildlife in Color: The Unseen World
Ages: High School. In this second session of our “Wildlife in Color” mini-series we’ll dive into a world of color unseen to the human eye. We’ll study how animals utilize colors to camouflage into their natural surroundings and how it can be beneficial as a tool for survival. We’ll then explore how some animals can see completely different wavelengths of light and study an entire world of color only seen by our wild counterparts. Registration is required.
Hands-On Homeschool: Mighty Megafauna
Ages: Elementary (1st-5th) or Middle School (6th-8th). Megafauna comprises the largest animals on Earth. Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is lucky enough to be home to 4 of the 5 most common species! Join us to learn about these prodigious and powerful animals. Registration is required.
Kinder Kingdom: Musical May
Ages 4-5 years old. Kinder Kingdom is a half-day, camp-like setting that allows your little wanderers to create a connection with nature and new friends. As the sun goes down and the moon comes up, these animals come out to play. The hills are alive with the sound of nature! Listen to the elephants’ trumpet, woodpeckers drum, and frogs sing as we learn about nature’s animal orchestra. Registration is required.
Creature Connections – Awesome Amphibians: May 20-June 30
Ages 1-4 years with adult. This is a 6-week series that creates opportunities for you and your young explorers to learn more about wildlife and wild places! We will provide prompts and activity ideas each week of the session to guide your exploration, as well as supplemental optional opportunities for exclusive “pop-ups” at the Zoo weekly on Wednesdays & Saturdays, where they can meet the animal they’ve been learning about! Note: You will also need to get your advanced timed ticket into the Zoo.
Run to the Shrine (May 20 & 21)
Cheyenne Mountain Zoo invites all ages of world class runners and families alike to Run to the Shrine, offered on Saturday, May 20 and Sunday May 21, 2023. Run to the Shrine is a 4-mile run/walk course that curves through the Zoo, up to the Will Rogers Shrine of the Sun and back down into the Zoo. Run to the Shrine has become an annual Cheyenne Mountain Zoo tradition, and it is the only time of the year that guests are allowed to travel up to the Shrine of the Sun by foot! In addition, Run to the Shrine is an important fundraiser for the Zoo. Registration is required and is open online now.
Unique & Differing Needs Camp – Ages 7-11* – Movin’ & Groovin’ – June 10
*Ages 7-11. Offered on Saturday June 10 or July 15 only. *This camp is specially designed for campers ages 7 -11 with autism spectrum disorders, sensory processing disorders, developmental disabilities/delays or medical fragility. Campers, their caregiver, and Camp Mentors will skip, boogie, and roll through Cheyenne Mountain Zoo as we learn the different movements our animals make and why it is beneficial to their wellbeing. (One caregiver may also attend this camp without an additional fee.) Registration is required and is open online.
Member Appreciation Night
Zoo Members only - We appreciate you, so join us and your favorite animals for our first after-hours members-only event of the summer! Don’t forget your discount at our Thundergod Gift Shop. All restaurants will be open! Please note, we may have no scheduled animal demonstrations for this event, but watch for “pop-up” experiences. We look forward to seeing you at the Zoo! Check your membership email for more details. Reservations for the Member Appreciation Night event (5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.) are not required (Advanced tickets are required for any daytime admission from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.).
Moonlight on the Mountain
Kick off your summer with Cheyenne Mountain Zoo during the first adults-only event of the season! Don’t miss this adults-only event. Enjoy all-inclusive samples of beer, wine, spirits and soft drinks while tasting delicious eats from area restaurants. Local musicians will set the mood throughout the Zoo and have you dancing the night away until 10 p.m. This evening is for adults 21 and older ONLY. IDs must be presented on event night. Advance tickets are required and are on sale now!
Member Enrichment Night
Zoo Members only - How do we keep our animals active and healthy? We give them enrichment – activities that use natural behaviors, allow control over their environment and enhance their well-being. Enrich your evening by watching our animals enjoy themselves! All restaurants will be open. Please note, we may not have scheduled animal demonstrations for this event, but watch for "pop-up" experiences during your visit. Check your membership email for more details. Reservations for the Member Enrichment Night event (5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.) are not required (Advanced tickets are required for any daytime admission from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.).
Unique & Differing Needs Camp – Ages 7-11* – Movin’ & Groovin’ – July 15
*Ages 7-11. Offered on Saturday June 10 or July 15 only. *This camp is specially designed for campers ages 7 -11 with autism spectrum disorders, sensory processing disorders, developmental disabilities/delays or medical fragility. Campers, their caregiver, and Camp Mentors will skip, boogie, and roll through Cheyenne Mountain Zoo as we learn the different movements our animals make and why it is beneficial to their wellbeing. (One caregiver may also attend this camp without an additional fee.) Registration is required and is open online.
Youth Conservation Leadership Conference 2023 (6th-12th Grades)
Ages 12-18. CMZoo’s Youth Leadership Action Board invites you to the 5th Annual Youth Conservation Leadership Conference (YCLC), right here on the mountainside. This conference is hosted by your teenage peers as a common ground conference to work towards worldwide conservation education efforts. Registration is required and open online now.
Tails, Tunes & Tastes
Ages 21+. THIS YEAR: Tails, Tunes & Tastes tickets now include unlimited small plates. Join us for a magical evening on the mountain, exclusively reserved for those age 21 and up. Local musicians will set the mood throughout the Zoo! Tickets to Tails, Tunes & Tastes include unlimited small plates and two drink tickets. Cash bars also available. (No one under age 21 will be permitted, including no children or infants.) Advanced tickets are required and are on sale now.
Creature Connections – Rocking Reptiles: July 29 – Sept. 8
Ages 1-4 years with adult. This is a 6-week series that creates opportunities for you and your young explorers to learn more about wildlife and wild places! We will provide prompts and activity ideas each week of the session to guide your exploration, as well as supplemental optional opportunities for exclusive “pop-ups” at the Zoo weekly on Wednesdays & Saturdays, where they can meet the animal they’ve been learning about! Note: You will also need to get your advanced timed ticket into the Zoo.
Tails, Tunes & Tastes
Ages 21+. THIS YEAR: Tails, Tunes & Tastes tickets now include unlimited small plates. Join us for a magical evening on the mountain, exclusively reserved for those age 21 and up. Local musicians will set the mood throughout the Zoo! Tickets to Tails, Tunes & Tastes include unlimited small plates and two drink tickets. Cash bars also available. (No one under age 21 will be permitted, including no children or infants.) Advanced tickets are required and are on sale now.
Teen Program Off-Season Winter Session 2023 – Applications Open (Sept. 1-10)
Ages: Middle and High School, 6th - 12th grades. Winter Off-Session runs Nov. 12 - Feb.12, 2024 for Zoo Crew, Junior Zoo Keeper and Teen Core programs. Cheyenne Mountain Zoo’s Teen Programs provide meaningful life experiences that inspire teens to take conservation action both on and off Zoo grounds through education, leadership, stewardship and environmental exploration. Off-Season Teen Programs offer weekends, evenings, and after school teen opportunities. Admission to the program is through an application process. Online applications for Zoo Crew, Junior Zoo Keeper and Teen Core programs will be open during this time. An application fee applies.
Military Appreciation Week
Join us for Military Appreciation Week at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo! It’s a week of even bigger thanks to our military personnel for their continued service to our great country. This week’s military discount features 50% off the day's normal admission base price, which is offered to all active-duty, veteran and retired military personnel and their dependents living in the same household. To enjoy a full week of stars and stripes, march on up to the Zoo! Check back closer to the event for more details.
Silent Night at the Zoo
All ages. Full Zoo experience (except sky ride and carousel). Dining options will be limited. We invite you to a unique Zoo event, Silent Night on Monday, September 11, 2023. Our busy lives are often filled with schedules, responsibilities and noise. Come prepared for a peacefully quiet evening away from the pressures of the city below. Advance e-tickets are required and are on sale online now.
Creature Connections – Incredible Invertebrates: Oct. 7 – Nov. 17
Ages 1-4 years with adult. This is a 6-week series that creates opportunities for you and your young explorers to learn more about wildlife and wild places! We will provide prompts and activity ideas each week of the session to guide your exploration, as well as supplemental optional opportunities for exclusive “pop-ups” at the Zoo weekly on Wednesdays & Saturdays, where they can meet the animal they’ve been learning about! Note: You will also need to get your advanced timed ticket into the Zoo.
Electric Moonlight
Adults 21+. Celebrate holiday lights and cheer during this adults-only event, Electric Moonlight. This event combines our festive holiday lights with indoor sampling areas featuring beer, wine, spirits and soft drinks while tasting delicious eats from area restaurants (all while supplies last) – just like at our popular summer event, Larger-than-life illuminated inflatable animals! Moonlight on the Mountain! Advance timed e-tickets must be purchased in advance, and are subject to selling out. (No one under age 21 will be permitted, including no children or infants.) Tickets will be on sale closer to the event.